When I think of Holistic Health, I see it as the connection of the mind, body, and soul where everything is functioning at their very best. "With Holistic Health people accept responsibility for their own level of well-being, and everyday choices are used to take charge of one's own health," states the American Holistic Health Association (AHHA).

The world of alternative therapies is incorporated for both prevention and treatment. One such therapy that continues to become more in the mainstream is colon hydrotherapy, otherwise known as colonics and colonic irrigation. This is the process of gently instilling a soothing flow of purified water into the colon through a disposable rectal nozzle to cleanse (evacuate) the contents of the large intestine stimulating the colon's natural peristaltic action. The process is done by a certified practitioner who massages the abdomen to aid the cleanse.

The theory of autointoxication is that undigested food causes mucus buildup in the colon. This buildup produces toxins, the theory goes, which enter the blood's circulation, poisoning the body.

Even though colonic irrigation dates back to ancient times, the process enjoys widespread popularity in the alternative medicine community, while being viewed with considerable skepticism by the conventional medical community. While the jury is still out on this intimate procedure, there are avid cleansers and those who cringe at the idea of having anything enter an exit.

All of the above continue seeking answers to determine the benefits and risks.

Potential Benefits:

improving mental clarity

improving the immune system

losing weight

increasing energy level

reducing headaches

reducing the risk of colon cancer

cleansing medium for preparing patients for colonoscopies and other surgeries

According to the Colon Therapists Network (CTN), many doctors are now embracing colonic irrigation as an adjunct to their traditional medical treatments, or as part of an overall regiment of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).

"Colon hydrotherapy is a much better way of getting the human colon ready for an operation (colon cancer, colon diverticulitis, appendicitis, hemorrhoids, and numbers of other internal organ health problems) than having a patient swallow a gallon of that usual pre-surgery solution known as ‘Colon-Go-Lytely.' Instead, colon hydrotherapy has the patient avoid this solution's noxious side effects of vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and other troubles," Gastrointestinal Surgeon Dr. Leonard Smith says.

Dr. Smith expresses, "my recommendation for cancer patients is that they should undergo frequent colon hydrotherapy procedures to make sure a colon's toxic burden is being kept at a minimum while their bodies are trying to heal. While not a substitute for eating a high fiber diet, those cancer patients who take colon hydrotherapy often experience the elimination of their aches and pains, improvement of appetite, and they tolerate a tough healing process better." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms colorectal cancer as one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the U.S, particularly in men.

CTN states, the average person, who is neither overweight nor suffers from allergies may have up to 10 - 25 lbs of dried fecal matter in their colon and as those toxins accumulate they become responsible for the many imbalances in the body. Virtually all weight challenges can be traced to an imbalance in the colon/digestive tract. A classic sign of colon toxicity in women, and one of their most common complaints about their lack of energy originates from their ‘potbelly', or distended abdomen.

Potential Risks:

perforation of the colon wall

dehydration and salt depletion due to disruption of electrolyte balance

reduction of good bacteria

• excessive cleansing can lead to anemia, malnutrition and heart failure

There seem to have been several trends that combined to marginalize colonic irrigation. The first was a change in philosophy in the medical profession, towards relying more on drug therapy and less on various types of physical therapies. The second was a political reaction against lay practitioners, "quacks," distinguished by their excessive claims and aggressive marketing practices (in contrast to the orthodox medical shunning of advertising). The third was a lack of scientific evidence for the efficacy of colonics which was concluded in A Review of the Historical Controversy and the Potential Adverse Effects of Colonic Irrigation.

When speaking about detoxification, Dr. Michael Picco, M.D., explains that there is no evidence that detox diets actually remove toxins from the body. Most ingested toxins are efficiently and effectively removed by the kidneys and liver and excreted in urine and stool.

Avoid colon irrigations, if you have:

diverticulitis

ulcerative colitis

Crohn's disease

severe or internal hemorrhoids

tumors in your rectum or colon

recent bowel surgery, unless your health care provider says it's OK

• heart disease or kidney disease

It's always a good idea to talk with your primary health care provider before starting a new practice, including colonics. If you do decide to move forward, check out the International Association For Colon Hydrotherapy to find a certified practitioner. Please note that most current colon hydrotherapy equipment is safe and registered with FDA.

I was fortunate enough to have parents that made me take swim classes, dance lessons, and gymnastics during my pre-school years. Not only did theses activities enhance my physical and social skills, but I now realize they began my journey of having a love affair with physical fitness and movement.

I make it a point to encourage parents that I know and meet to enroll their children in all three activities, both boys and girls, for many reasons.

First, I am a huge proponent of children taking swim lessons for safety reasons primarily. As a former lifeguard, seeing the terror on certain children's faces around water was painful knowing how much joy it brings into other children's lives or the terror I experienced when an unknowing little one would jump into the water with a smile and come above the water in panic.

The reason I feel strongly about dance lessons for children is that it brings out a lot of qualities that cannot be taught because they are learned through experience such as rhythm, creativity and performing in front of audiences. I believe dance not only challenging their bodies but it stimulates their minds by keeping track of the step counts, following the beat of the music and staying aware of their surroundings while moving their little bodies.

The performance aspect of dance brings out personalities and pride as they are not only taking lessons but also preparing to showcase what they learned in front of an audience of more than mom and dad. I'm sure that with television programs such as So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars is leading to more young adults taking dance lessons since these shows are breaking down the traditional stereotypes that used to be associated with the world of dancing.

iffany HouserHowever, I believe the ultimate activity for all children to experience is gymnastics. This is what truly developed me into an athlete and more so, built my confidence and eliminated fears. I was instantly good at most sports because of gymnastics which is why I gravitated naturally to also becoming a cheerleader and a track athlete. My gymnastics skills catapulted me into doing well in both these sports since I was willing to try anything even if it meant potential injury.

As my body is constantly changing and seems to remember old skills and picks up new skills, I am realizing the results that this movement trifecta had on me.

Getting involved in all three early in life allowed me to be coachable and learn in a group environment and be evaluated in a group and as an individual. I also benefited from meeting friends before I started kindergarten which gave me a sense of familiarity and security rather than being peeled off my parents on the first day of school.

Since I was fairly good at all three, I developed a good deal of independence and pride in myself where I began choosing what classes I wanted to take and routines I wanted to perform. Even though in my early childhood I was TERRIFIED to communicate in public or even order a meal directly from a waiter in a restaurant, I had no problem tumbling or tapping around in front of large audiences.

This led me to trying out for organized teams which brought out the competitive side in me. I believe this is what also made me a better academic student because I was used to performing at my best. I became a parent's dream because I fell in love with school in general. I never wanted to miss a day!

I refer to dance, swimming and gymnastics as activities in this blog post because I wanted to stress the benefits to parents without the association of what it means to involve children in sports. Even though each of the three are among the leading international sports, all three do possess the ability to give children a life set of skills both physically and mentally to use in almost every situation in life. This is why movement at a young age encourages and is a breeding ground for not only successful adults, but healthy, happy and balanced adults.

There are many studies proving that children who are involved in activities outside of school whether they are sports-related or not are better students and develop quality social skills. Other studies go to prove that children who are involved in physical activities whether it be organized sports or some sort of class or lesson in a physical discipline are more likely to live healthier and happier lifestyles because they learn at an early age the importance of the body's performance and because in certain cases they perform in public and are supported by peers and family leading to a fulfilling experience that they want to duplicate throughout life.